Among my friends and colleagues, it should come as no surprise that in addition to classical music, I am also a fan of professional wrestling. Professional wrestling? Yes, professional wrestling. I have been watching since I was eleven years young. Wrestling was all around me. Some of my childhood friends are related to some very big names in the professional wrestling industry. But this is a blog about classical music, is it not?
Ahh, yes, this is a blog about classical music. It is titled Fan Classical… so it is about fans of classical music…. in particular this fan. The world of classical music is fantastic and has brought me such joy. There are a few other things that bring me joy, and wrestling is one of them.
I suppose you are wondering, what’s wrestling gotta do with classical music? Well, “let me tell ya something” (spoken in a hyped-up pro wrestler promotion style). Professional wrestlers usually come to the ring accompanied by music. Some arrive to heavy metal, others to pop music. In more recent times, some wrestlers have come out to hip hop, house, or dance music. As far back as the 1980s, certain wrestlers used classical music as their entrance music.
Classical music invokes an emotional response from listeners. We don’t “listen” to classical music, we experience it. Professional wrestling is performed to invoke a response from the audience. These responses may be in the form of cheers, chants, boos, or even tears. Professional wrestling, like classical music, evokes an emotional response.
Many classical music pieces actually tell a story from the composers own experiences or his or her creative mindset at the time. Professional wrestling matches are but part of a story told by the wrestlers. Familiar themes of adversity, worry, determination, tears, heartbreak, and triumph occur throughout both classical music and professional wrestling.
Whether they were working in WWE, AEW, WCW, or NXT, the following professional wrestlers arrived to the ring to the tune of classical music:
Randy “Macho Man Savage”
Pomp and Circumstance – Sir Edward Elgar
The Macho Man’s choice of Elgar’s most iconic march was the perfect fit. He was larger-than-life, and this music screamed royalty. The grandeur and pageantry of those opening notes set the stage for the madness that was the “Macho Man”. It’s the perfect marriage of bombastic personality and musical bombast.
“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 I Prelude – Richard Strauss
While we usually think of this music paired with images of space from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the opening fanfare became synonymous with Flair’s extravagance. He was a master of excess: the robes, the women, the lifestyle… the music followed suit. This piece signified his arrival as the main event, and the fact that the spotlight was firmly, gloriously upon him.
Jerry “The King” Lawler
The Gates of Kiev – Modest Mussorgsky
Mussorgsky’s “Great Gates of Kiev” is a piece that builds to a climax, making it a perfect entrance choice for a fan-favorite “good guy” like Lawler. With its soaring melodies and regal nature, it conveyed Lawler’s position as the ‘King’ of his Memphis wrestling territory, even if it was a self-bestowed title.
Daniel Bryan / Bryan Danielson
Flight of the Valkyries – Richard Wagner
The raw energy of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” was a great fit for the underdog. As someone who fought his way up from the independent scene, Bryan needed that burst of power and adrenaline. The fast-paced and relentless nature of the music reflected his work ethic and in-ring intensity.
Imperium
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor (IV. Allegro) – Antonín Dvořák
This choice fits Imperium’s serious and no-nonsense attitude. Dvořák’s final movement from his New World Symphony is powerful and dramatic. The group’s old-school European wrestling focus fits the mood of the piece, drawing from the rich traditions of European classical music to emphasize their own reverence for the history of the sport.
Ilya Dragunov
Death Waltz
I couldn’t find any information about this piece, but it is dramatic and intense, just like Dragunov himself. His wrestling style is hard-hitting, brutal, and technical. As he makes his way to the ring, he can be seen waving his arms about as though conducting a lively symphony.